Advance Directives

Understanding your Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Status

Everyone should have an Advance Directive especially a Power of Attorney for Healthcare. The Power of Attorney for Healthcare gives you the security of knowing that a trusted agent knows your health care wishes if you become unable to communicate.

How does a DNR order work?

As a patient coming to our hospital for an out-patient procedure or test, you will be asked about your “DNR” status. A DNR is an order written by your physician, which means “Do Not Resuscitate.” We will attempt to resuscitate a patient in cardiac or respiratory arrest unless we have a written order from the patient’s physician. A correctly completed IDPH DNR form can serve as that written order if it is signed by a physician.

In any case where a patient is treated as a DNR, that person’s dignity and worth will continue to be acknowledged and valued. Assertive comfort measures will be utilized. No resuscitation efforts will be administered, but death will not be hastened.

What if I do not have a completed IDPH DNR form?

Without written documentation to the contrary, all outpatients at our hospital will be resuscitated to the best of our abilities and do not need to fill out any additional forms.

If, at any time, you wish to be treated as a DNR patient and do not have a DNR order in effect, your procedure or test will be cancelled and you will be referred to your physician for further discussion.

Download Forms

This information is only for your understanding and is a very personal decision that requires you to think about it in advance. Advance Directive forms, including the IDPH DNR form, are easy to fill out, do not require an attorney and can be downloaded below.

The SIH Patient Experience

At SIH, we define Excellence in Service as a perpetual focus on improving the patient experience. We recognize that every employee plays an integral part in our patients care, from our front line nursing staff at the bedside to the dietary staff in our kitchens. Our mantra is “I am the Patient Experience”.